Electric shoe shiner with movable shoe polish applying receptacle



Jan. 3, 1950 v. E. TAYLOR ELECTRIC SHOE SHINER WITH MOVABLE SHOE POLISH APPLYING RECEPTACLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 16, 1948 mm o W T E r m mm .w v Q 8 INVENTOR.

Jan. 3, 1950 v. E. TAYLOR 2,493,426

ELECTRIC SHOE SHINER WITH MOVABLE SHOE POLISH APPLYING RECEPTACLE Filed March 16, 1948 5' Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2.

Via/or E. Taylor INVENTOR.

BY m w Jan. 3, 1950 V. E. TAYLOR ELECTRIC SHOE SHINER WITH MOVABLE SHOE POLISH APPLYING RECEPTACLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 16. 1948 Victor E. Taylor IN I/ EYIOR Jan. '3, 1950 Filed March 16, 1948 V. E. TAYLOR ELECTRIC SHOE SHINER WITH MOVABLE SHOE POLISH APPLYING RECEPTACLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 g k g Victor E. Taylor g" INVENTOR. BY m M /415a,

ELECTRIC E SHINER WITH MOVABLE Jan. 3, 1950 E. TAYLOR 2,493,426

' SHOE POLISH APPLYING 'RECEPTACLE Filed March 16. 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q; Q s

Inventor k {'8 Victor E. Taylor 4 and wyvM Patented Jan. 3, 195G amaze ELECTRIC SHOE SHINER WITH MOVABLE SHOE POLISH APPLYING RECEPTACLE Victor E. Taylor, Nampa, Idaho Application March 16, 1948, Serial No. 15,100

9 Claims.

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in an electric shoe shiner and more specifically pertains to a power-operated device for removing shoe polish from a receptacle, applying the polish to shoes, and then buffing and polishing the shoes as desired.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a compact, entirely enclosed device for automatically applying polish to shoes and then buffing and polishing the same.

A further important object of the invention resides in the provision of an apparatus as set forth in the preceding object wherein the various parts thereof are capable of easy access for use, repair or servicing of the same.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a polish receptacle which is easily and dependably operable for applying polish to the polish-applying wheel of the apparatus, wherein all of the polish of the receptacle may be easily removed by the polish-applying wheel, and wherein the polish-containing receptacle is entirely enclosed to prevent drying of the polish when the receptacle is in its idle or rest position.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a compact cabinet whose interior is divided by a horizontal partition into an upper chamber in which are received the rotatable buffer wheel and polishing or buffer shaft, and a lower chamber housing the electric motor, the polish applier shaft and the polish applier wheels, together with a highly efiicient dispensing receptacle for the shoe polish.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a cabinet as set forth in the preceding paragraph, together with an electric switch which is operable, upon opening the doors of the cabinet, for starting the electric motor and causing rotation of the polish-applying and buffer shaft whereby the dauber and buffer wheels are automatically placed in rotation ready for use.

Yet another important feature of the invention resides in an arrangement of a cabinet as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein driving connections are provided at opposite ends of the cabinet and in an unobtrusive location for connecting the motor to the buffer shaft and for connecting the latter to the polish applying shaft.

A still further important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and advantageous construction of a polish dispensing receptacle which is pivotally mounted upon supports adjacent to the dauber or polish applying brushes, one such receptacle being provided for each such brush, together with convenient pull cable operating means for selectively pivoting the receptacle into operative position for applying polish therefrom to the polish-applying brushes.

An additional important feature of the invention is to provide a dispensing receptacle as set forth in the foregoing paragraph and feature, and wherein the receptacle is provided with a peripheral opening for permitting entry of the polishapplying brush into the interior of the receptacle for removing polish therefrom.

Yet another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a polish dispensing receptacle as set forth in the preceding features, wherein there is provided an arcuate inner lid pivoted to the receptacle adjacent the opening thereof for partially closing the same, and which lid is engageable by the circumference of the polish applying brush as the latter enters the opening in the receptacle, whereby the inner lid is raised and the polish applying brush may penetrate the interior of the receptacle to any desired extent and whereby all of the polish contained therein may be removed from the receptacle as required.

Still another important feature of the inven-' tion resides in the provision of a receptacle as set forth in the preceding paragraphs, wherein there is provided an outer lid hingedly supported from the back of the cabinet and which lid is positioned to completely close the opening in the periphery of the receptacle when the latter is in its idle or rest position.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a resilient means carried by the back wall of the cabinet for yieldingly urging the outer cover or lid into closed position upon the receptacle; and for urging the receptacle into its idle or rest position.

And a final important feature and object of the invention to be specifically enumerated herein resides in the provision of anti-friction rollers carried by the side walls of the receptacle and engageable with cam surfaces forming chordal surfaces upon the outer lid, for causing opening of the outer lid upon pivotal movement of the receptacle.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shoe shining device showing the cabinet in its closed position, all of the operating parts being completely concealed and housed therein;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the cabinet of Figure 1, showing the interior arrangement of the operating parts of the mechanism, the parts being shown in their idle or rest positions;

Figure 3 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of the section line 3-3 of Figure 2 and showing, in top plan, the lower compartment of the cabinet, with the doors thereof slightly open, and illustrating the arrangement of the polish-applying brushes, the driving motor, and the relative position of the polish-dispensing receptacles;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of the section line 4-4 of Figure 2 and showing in end elevation the interior of the cabinet and the driving connection between the motor, the polisher shaft and the polish applying shaft;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional detail view taken through the interior of the cabinet and showing in side elevation the construction of the polish dispenser receptacle and its relation to the polish applying wheel, a part of which has been broken away;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the position of the polish dispenser receptacle when the latter is just engaged with the polish applier brush, a part of the dispensing receptacle being broken away to show the interior construction thereof;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional detail view showing the construction of one of the bufier wheels of the device;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the polish dispenser receptacle in position for completely receiving the polish applier brush therein;

Figure 9 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantiall upon the plane of the section line 9-9 of Figure 5 and showing the interior construction of the polish receptacle in its rest or idle position;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the main body of the polish dispenser receptacle, the inner lid being removed therefrom; and

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the inner lid of the polish dispenser receptacle and showing its closing spring attached thereto.

Refering now more specifically to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, attention is directed first to Figures 14 wherein Ill designates a cabinet of any suitable construction and material, and of any desired size or shape, but which is preferably provided with a pair of hinged doors 2 at one side thereof for obtaining access to the interior of the cabinet for operation of the apparatus as set forth hereinafter. Suitably secured in the cabinet substantially midway between the top and bottom walls thereof is provided a horizontal partition or shelf I 4 mounted in any suitable manner and which divides the cabinet into upper and lower compartments l5 and I8 respectively, the shelf terminating at its ends at a slight distance from the end walls of the cabinet to provide recesses or chambers extending from top to bottom of the cabinet for receiving, in an unobtrusive manner, the driving belt or other operating means for the instrumentalities of this device.

As shown best in Figures, 3 and 4, a motor 20 of any suitable type is bolted or otherwise removably attached to the base of the lower compartment l8, adjacent the rear wall thereof, for opeating the device as set forth hereinafter, this motor being provided with the customary electric power cable 22 extending through one of the walls of the casing for connection to any suitable power source, not shown, there being interposed a pair of switches 24 and 26 between the electric cable 22 and the motor 20 for controlling the same.

The switches 24 and 26 are in electrical series, as indicated in Figures 2 and 3, the switch 26 being a manually operable switch and constituting a master switch for cutting off the supply of current to the motor, while the switch 24 is provided with an operating button 28 positioned for engagement b one of the doors [2, whereby, when the door is opened, the switch 24 will close the electrical circuit, assuming the master switch to be closed, whereby the electric motor will be energized upon opening of the door and de-energized upon closing of the door.

Supported upon the partition or shelf l4 within the upper compartment l6 are a pair of standards 30 which, at their upper ends, pivotally support, as by pins 32, a pair of journal sleeves 34 for rotatably journaling therebetween a polisher or buffer shaft 36. This construction, as will be seen by reference to Figure 2, permits a relative swivelling action of the two journal bearings 34 with respect to each other, whereby the latter will align themselves to properly journal the revolvable shaft 36, which extends beyond the two bearings at its ends, and is provided with a large power input pulley 38 and a small power output pulley 40.

As will be clearly seen in Figure 2, the pulley 38 and the driving pulley 42 of the motor 29 are received within one of the above mentioned end chambers and have entrained thereover a belt driving means 44, it being thus seen that the belt and the two pulleys constituting the driving connection for operating the buffer shaft are positioned at the extreme side of the cabinet and out of the way of the operation of the rest of the mechanism. If desired, a suitable removable partition may be provided for completely enclosing this end chamber and the driving connection contained therein.

Rigidly but removably secured and slidably adjustable upon the shaft 36 are a pair of bufllng or polishing wheels indicated generally by the numeral 46, each of these polishing wheels being formed of a pair of conical side members 48 joined by a cylindrical mid portion 50, an annu lar V-shaped groove being thus provided between the side flanges or members 48 of each buffer 46, for receiving the toe or heel of a shoe therebetween. The construction of these buffer wheels is shown more clearly in Figure '7, wherein it will be seen that the shaft 36 has secured thereon a plurality of substantially conical shaped wheels 52 upon which is detachably received a coating or sheathing of bufiing material, such as sheepskin or the like 54, one such wheel 52 with its coating 54 constituting one of the flanges 48 of the buffer. It will thus be seen that by removing one of the standards 30 and the journal bearing 34, the buffers may be slid off of the shaft endwise for replacing or servicing the buffer wheels. It is preferred to provide two buffer wheels in order that a pair of shoes may be simultaneously buffed or polished or cleansed, as set forth hereinafter,

provided as desired.

although obviously only a single wheel may be employed or even more in some instances.

In use as so far described, it is merely necessary to rest a shoe, without removing the same from the person of the wearer, upon the upper surface of the partition l4, and inserting the point or toe of the shoe between two of the flanges 48 of one of the buffer wheels 45, whereupon the buffer Wheel, either wet or dry, may be employed to cleanse the shoe. In order to clean the heel portion of the shoe, it is merely necessary to push the foot backwardly into the opening of the cabinet to position the heel portion of the shoe in contact with the annular groove of the buffer.

Also, after the polish has been applied to the shoe, as set forth hereinafter, the shoe may be again placed in contact with the buffer and 'pushed to the annular groove thereof, whereby the sides and top of the shoe may be thoroughly buffed and polished in an efficient and rapid manner.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, a pair of .hangers 56 are secured to the under surface of in the end chamber in an unobtrusive manner.

As above mentioned, this cabinet may be enclosed by a removable partition to completely shut off the driving means from the rest of the interior of the cabinet.

Slidably adjustable but non-rotatably mounted upon the polish applier shaft 58, and adjustably' secured thereto as by set screw 64 in hub portion 66 are one or more dauber brushes or polishapplying brushes 68. These brushes may be of any suitable construction and size, and the device may contain only a single brush in some instances, although it is preferred to employ at least two such brushes, one, for example, being employed for black polish and one for brown polish, although any other number of brushes may be brushes 68 is adapted to enter a pivoted, movable polish-dispensing receptacle, indicated generally by the numeral and operable in a manner set forth hereinafter, whereby the rotating brushes 68 will pick up and receive polish from the receptacle, and whereby a shoe may be placed in contact with the rotating polish-applying brush for applying polish to the same.

It should be here noted that the relative pulley sizes are such that the relative high speed rotation of the pulley 42 is reduced to operate the buffer shaft 36, while the speed of the latter is further reduced to operate the polish applying shaft at a much lower rate of speed. By this means, the dauber or polish-applying brushes may safely pick up and remove the polish which may be in paste form, without danger of throwing or spraying the same, while the speed of rotation of the buffer shaft is such as to satisfactorily and quickly buff and polish the shoe.

Each of the polish dispensing receptacles is fixedly but pivotally secured to the framework of the cabinet, it being understood that the dauber brushes will be adjusted to register with their individual polish receptacles. A manual Each of these dauber means is provided for engaging each receptacle with the dauber brush as desired, a satisfactory embodiment of such means being indicated in Figures 2 and 4.

Depending from the under surface of the horizontal partition M are a plurality of brackets 12 having guide rollers or blocks through which is entrained a flexible cable member 14 provided with a ring or other finger-gripping means 16 at its front end. This ring is positioned and the end of the cable terminates adjacent the doors of the cabinet, whereby the ring may be readily grasped to manipulate the cable whose other end is secured to the polish receptacle 10, for pivotally moving the same from its idle or rest position to its operative position.

Rigidly and preferably removably attached to the base of the lower compartment I8 of the cabinet are supports each comprising a pair of parallel standards 18 between which is journaled, by means of transverse pivot pins or axles 8|], a preferably crescent-shaped base member 82, see Figure 8, which has secured thereto a pair of substantially circular side plates 84. It will thus be seen, particularly by reference to Figures 6, 8 and 10, that the crescent-shaped base member 82 constitutes an arcuately shaped peripheral wall of the receptacle defined by the two side plates 84, this peripheral wall being open throughout substantially half of its arcuate extent, as will readily be seen by reference to Figure 8. This opening in the peripheral Wall is provided for the purpose of receiving the polish applying or dauber brush or wheel, whereby the latter may penetrate the interior of the receptacle for removing polish therefrom, as will be clearly apparent from Figures 6 and 8.

As shown in Figures 8 and 10, the circumferential edges of the end plate 84 are notched or recessed as at 86 to provide a clearance to receive the shaft 58 therein, whereby the receptacle may be more closely applied to the shaft and whereby the polish applying brush may more fully penetrate the interior of the receptacle.

Surrounding the laterally extending pivot pins are the coiled portions of springs 88, one arm of each spring engaging a pin or lug 90 carried by the side plates 84, and the other arm of the spring being removably anchored in a tubular socket 92 fixedly secured to the sides of the standards 18. By this means, the springs serve to tension the receptacle and urge the same into its lowered or idle position, as shown in Figure 5.

It will thus be seen that each receptacle is provided with a spring at each side thereof, as shown in Figure 2, whereby the receptacles are evenly biased from the opposite sides thereof into their rest position. To pivot the receptacles about their pivot pins against the opposition of the springs 88, one of the plates 84 of each receptacle is provided adjacent its periphery with an arcuately disposed guide flange or strip 94 terminally secured to the plate 84, as at 85, and provided with upwardly extending shoulders or guide flanges 98, upon the outer edge thereof, the flexible control cable 14 being entrained over the arcuate guide flange 94 and within the guide lugs 98, and having its end suitably secured to the receptacle as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Thus, as the cable is pulled, the same will cause a pivotal movement of the receptacle about its pivot pins 80, whereby the receptacle will be pivoted from the position shown in Figure 5 to the position shown in Figure 6, at which time the dauber brush begins to enter the receptacle to remove polish therefrom, until eventually, depending upon the extent to which the cable is actuated, the brush will fully penetrate the receptacle which has now assumed the position shown in Figure 8.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, an inner lid is provided for the receptacle which is hingedly mounted in such a manner as to leave a relatively small opening, as shown in Figure 6, for initial use of the receptacle, in order to prevent drying of the polish therein as much as possible, and provide just sufi'icient amount of opening for the brush to penetrate and withdraw polish therefrom. However, it is intended that this opening shall be increased as the brush requires to be penetrated further into the receptacle as the polish supply becomes depleted therein, and for this purpose the inner lid is swung into the open position by the brush as the receptacle is urged toward the brush. This inner lid construction is shown most clearly in Figures 8, 9 and 11.

The inner lid consists of an arcuate peripheral member I00, of a curvature substantially conforming to the concave curvature of the crescentshaped base 82, one end of this inner lid being hinged to the inner surface of the base at one end thereof, as at I02, the lid thereby comprising a hinged extension. A flexible strip I93 is suitably positioned within the receptacle to overlie and protect the hinge I02.

Integral side walls I04 are formed upon the arcuate portion I of the inner lid, these walls being slidably received within the side walls 84 of the receptacle. A resilient flat strip of metal forming a leaf spring I06 is suitably secured at one end in any desired manner to the external surface of the inner lid I00, and at its other end is attached as by fastening means I08 to the outer surface of the base member 82. This spring yieldingly urges the lid into its closed position, as shown in Figures and 6, but permits opening of the lid by means of the counterclockwise revolutions of the dauber brush 68, as the latter penetrates through the opening into the receptacle. When the inner lid is open, the brush is thus able to fully penetrate the interior of the receptacle, and remove any desired portion of the polish contents III] therefrom.

As will be seen by reference to Figure 6, the lid in its closed position still leaves a small opening in the peripheral wall of the receptacle, through which the circumference of the brush may initially enter for opening the lid further as desired. However, in order to prevent drying of the contents of the receptacle by reason of its opening during idle periods of the device, an outer cover is provided for completely covering this opening when the receptacle is in its lowered, rest and idle position. This outer cover consists of an arcuate sheet or flap II2 which is hinged to the rear wall of the cabinet, as at H4, and which'is provided with a resilient spring means II6 likewise secured to the rear wall of the cabinet for yieldingly urging the outer cover into its closed position, this spring likewise serving the function of urging the receptacle into its lowered or rest position, as will be apparent from Figures 5 and 6.

Means are provided whereby pivotal movement of the receptacle will automatically raise the outer lid. For this purpose, the outer lid is provided with a cam or lifting surface I I8 which, as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 8, is disposed as a chord upon the concave surface of the outer cover, and this chord is engageable by a pair of rollers I20 and I22 carried by pintles or stub axles I24 extending laterally from one of the plates 8 of the receptacle. These rollers, as will be apparent from Figure 5, are disposed at unequal radial distances from the axis of rotation, which is the pivot pin 80, whereby upon rotation or pivotal movement of the receptacle, the roll I 20 which is closest to the pivot pin will first engage and partially lift the cam surface I I8 and the outer cover Il2, while the roller I22 disposed at a greater radial distance from the center of rotation will subsequently engage the cam member II 8 and complete the lifting movement of the outer cover.

If desired, it is evident that this roller construction may be duplicated upon both plates 84 of each receptacle, and duplicate cam surfaces I I 8 may be provided upon the cover plate I I2 for actuation of the same.

From the foregoing, the manner of constructing and operating the device, together with its numerous advantages, will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed and described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A shoe shiner comprising a cabinet having a motor therein, a rotatable polisher shaft having polish applying wheels and journalled in said cabinet and driven by said motor, a polish receptacle journalled in said cabinet and movable into position for engagement by a polisher wheel for applying polish thereto and means for selectively causing polish applying and retracting movements to said receptacle, said last means including a cable secured to said receptacle, said cable being entrained over guide pulleys depending from a portion of said cabinet and terminating adjacent an opening in said cabinet, said receptacle being provided with a laterally extending peripheral guide flange, said cable being received upon said flange.

2. In a shoe shining device, a rotatable polisher shaft and an electric motor operatively connected thereto, a polish applying wheel on said shaft, 8. support adjacent said shaft, a polish receptacle having a pivotal pin on said supoprt, said pivotal pin extending parallel to said shaft, said receptacle having an opening positioned for receiving said applying wheel when said receptacle is pivoted toward said shaft, said receptacle including a crescent-shaped base having side walls secured thereto, said applying wheel being receivable between said side walls and into the cavity of said base, said base having an inner lid hinged thereto and arcuately extended to form a continuation of said base, said lid providing an opening at its free end and the adjacent end of said base.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said free end is spaced from said adjacent edge of said base a sufficient distance to receive a portion of said applying wheel therein whereby rotation of said wheel will open said lid.

4. The combination of claim 3 including a spring means secured to the convex surfaces of said inner lid and base for urging said lid toward closing position.

8. The combination of claim '7 wherein said 15 outer cover is arcuate and has chordal surfaces engageable by said rollers.

9. The combination of claim 2 wherein said inner lid and base are provided with a hinge on their concave surfaces, and a protective member 0 secured to said surfaces and overlying said hinge.

VICTOR. E. TAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 500,502 Lever June 27, 1893 527,900 Sweetland Oct. 23, 1894 826,806 Scoggins July 24, 1906 1,644,931 MacDonald Oct. 11, 1927 1,719,280 Suits July 2, 1929 2,183,051 Stuprich Dec. 12, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,078 Great Britain of 1892 89,826 Germany Jan. 2, 1897 483,513 Great Britain Apr. 21, 1938 

